Nanny State - What Happens When the American Workers Quit Working? Will you Support the Free Loaders?

The number of Americans on Food Stamp Assistance is at record high levels. In 2011 the Government of the United States of America spent 75 Billion dollars on Food Stamps. As of January 2012 there were 44.7 million people receiving Food Stamps the equivalent of 1 out of every 7 Americans according to CNN. The welfare numbers have grown tremendously under Obama. He alone has raised the food stamp dole more than any other President in history. There are many other "Government Handout" programs supported by the American tax payers as well. How long can we sustain these programs?

During the Great Depression of the 1930's nearly 1 in 4 males of working age were unemployed and unable to find work. The Government did step in at that time and offer various types of assistance to the unemployed. The official establishment of the current American Welfare system began under President Franklin Roosevelt (D) and his "New Deal" in the mid 1930's. Under Roosevelt the poor American citizens were given hope in the form of Social Security and the Aid to Dependent Children Act (now known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children aka AFDC). Services to the poor continued to grow and evolve over the years.

In the 1980's both Republican and Democratic party members became weary of the Welfare system and began to discuss changes. The common theme was that welfare recipients were "trapped in the system" or "stuck in the cycle of poverty." Changes were needed and all sides agreed on this need.

In 1996 President Bill Clinton (D) - in response to the Republican push for the "Contract with America" - made some much needed changes to the behemoth welfare program. These changes were called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The Government gave large sums of money to the individual states to assist the poor with education and work training to help them become financially independent. In 1997 the AFDC was changed to the "Temporary Assistance to Needy Families" or TANF Act. Many in the Democratic assemblages were furious about these changes. Critics claim the act didn't do enough to relieve the system.

You may be familiar with the novel "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. The title makes me think of Atlas holding the World on his shoulders and literally shrugging it off. That may not be what Rand was thinking but it is the picture that comes to my mind when I think of the hard working men and women holding up the welfare world around them. What if they all decided to shrug of their work? When does the tipping start? How long before we are at the day when we have more "takers" than "makers"? Will it happen because the Baby Boomers get too old to be the "makers" and have to depend on the very broken Social Security system that we have all paid in to? Maybe it will be because the middle and high income folks just get plain sick and tired of carrying those who do not want to work.

Young people, minorities, and women are said to be the biggest supporters of Obama right now. If I could get one thing across to them it would be this - we cannot sustain another Obama term. We cannot afford it. Young people will soon be the ones shouldering the burdens of more handouts. Minorities and women under Obama will be encouraged to take more handouts (see "The Life of Julia"). Obama wants more Government Programs to take care of you - What does that tell you about his thoughts on your ability to be independent and find your dream career on your own two feet? He doesn't think you are smart enough to do it. I know you can do it. I know you will need to do it at some point as there will not be enough of us around to carry you if you don't.